29 of 52 Trip Around The
Sun - Hidden Valley Chapel
Have traveled about 326,000,000 miles.
Thoughts
during the week:
It was Palm Sunday and, because of a sore throat,
five-year-old Johnny stayed home from church with a sitter. When the
family returned home, they were carrying several palm branches. The boy
asked what they were for. "People held them over Jesus' head as he
walked by," his older brother explained.
"Wouldn't you know it," the boy fumed. "The one Sunday I don't
go, Jesus showed up!"
The
Visit:
Hidden
Valley Chapel
Again,
as is becoming usual, I was told this was not a “normal” meeting, as most of
the men were gone to a men’s gathering in the mountains. The ladies took over
the men’s jobs – and I was told to expect a very special and warm meeting.
I was a
little late for the first meeting – so attended the second to catch what I had
missed.
When I
arrived, I was met by the greeter, who informed me that it was a good thing the
chapel has no windows on this side. “Why?” Because the minister is a hotrod guy, and he probably would have stopped his sermon and
brought everybody outside. He did do that between meetings. Very knowledgeable
guy – has built several himself. Even his sermon had a
hotrod analogy in it.
Since I
got the first part of the program in the second meeting, I’ll go through it
like it was all one meeting.
At the
beginning, the piano starts – and it doesn’t ever stop through the entire
meeting, except for the main part of the sermon. A beautiful young girl, the
minister’s daughter, played the piano with simple, but comfortable talent.
It was
announced that the Java and Jesus event would be this week at the new
Starbucks. No men allowed.
During
the opening prayer, the music continues, and it led directly into the opening
song. As the prayer is ending, she plays louder – that begins the
congregational singing.
“I Want
to Know You.,” was a very nice song about coming to know the Savior.
The
music continued with a message from scripture (I wasn’t sure what scripture.)
It included the words, “There were ten thousand times ten thousand there.” I
thought – “Oh – a math scripture – forcing the reader to multiply – I wonder
why they didn’t just say one hundred million?” We, in today’s world, looking
upon that little area where the New Testament was written, if we looked at the
math, would be amazed. 100,000,000 people! That’s nearly half the population of
the entire
The
piano never stopping – and the way it worked – reminded me of certain ethnic
musicals – like Porgy and Bess. The music works into everything that’s going
on. It was quite pleasant, and they seemed to do it all naturally, without much
noticeable effort. The music was less formal than ours – but not really jazzy.
(At the end of the meeting, I learned why – as the greeter again talked with me
and informed me that next week the meeting would be different – “When we get
the Drums back.”)
“And
then there were more than any man could count – “ As if 100,000,000 was only a good
start!
Two
ladies led the congregational singing – Just standing up front and singing – no
directing any other way. They had both removed their shoes – one bare-footed –
the other with hose. They appeared to enjoy doing the job – and it’s probable
that there is a man at the gathering who normally does it. I may return to be
with them in another meeting later.
Music
still continues – “Children, you are dismissed – “ The
children leave – and then the minister’s talk begins. This is about ½ hour into
the meeting – and the message took up another ½ hour, then about a fifteen
minutes singing and prayer time at the end.
Message:
“Pentecost was the birthday of the Lord’s Church.” The minister was a
soft-spoken obviously nice guy. He talked about teachability
and leadability. He said that when we become
teachable, we also become leadable. He said that
“Pentecost was the birth of the Church – when
God’s spirit was poured out upon ordinary people, scared people, regular people.”
“You can’t
do good and be transformed by it. You must be
transformed, and then you will do good.”
“Repentence is going away from (He stepped to the left) one
place and to (He stepped to the right) another place.” “From
the carnal – to the spiritual.”
I’ve
seen this analogy a half dozen times during this one Trip Around The Sun – and every single time – it is always from the left
– to the right. He also used the phrase “Went South,” when he was talking about
someone going to Hell. We make our maps with North at the top – so we feel South to be Down. Going South is a
bad thing – a failure. It’s more than just humorous – in almost every major
city across this nation, real estate grows and appreciates North
more and South less – because of this psychological bias.
Five
tests of a Godly vision:
1.
It’s right for
the times.
2.
Promotes faith
rather than fear.
3.
Motivates people
to action.
4.
Requires some
risk-taking.
5.
Glorifies God, not
people.
Now, to
me, the most interesting part of his message.
He
talked of a “bias” we have. We can be biased toward trust or biased toward
distrust.
Hesitation
– with a bias of trust – leads to clarity.
Hesitation
– with a bias of distrust – leads to conflict.
“Sometimes,
while people are busy “discussing” things, other people are dying and going to
Hell” Is hesitation ok, absolutely - Is discussion ok? Absolutely – if we have
a good bias.
“Some of
the greatest power is in the hands of followers, not leaders.”
“Followers
sometimes have all the power,” he said. They can force a leader to fail – or to
do what they want.
Once,
he had towed a hotrod behind his truck, using a towbar.
Along the route, he heard some rattling noises back there – worried a little –
but didn’t stop. Going along a 55 or so, one of the hotrod’s wheels came clear
off, and the disc brake dug into the road. This caused his truck to turn
sideways sliding against oncoming traffic. He was lucky not to have a collision
– and said it would have been easy to die in this one.
He was
saying that this was a failure of a follower – the hotrod. This is, of course,
regarding the truck as the leader. Our language is riddled with metaphors, and
it’s difficult to know sometimes what is really being said.
The
truck was the vehicle in front, so we say “It leads.” But it’s not a leader.
The driver was the leader, and it was the leader who erred. He was in charge of
both vehicles. Even they were not followers, but absolute slaves. A follower
makes decisions – while the vehicles had no control of anything.
Still,
the analogy is an interesting one. “Followers sometimes have all the power.”
I felt
certain that David O. McKay wanted to repair the doctrine about members of the
great Negro race – and their being blocked from the priesthood. He couldn’t do
it, because there was more readying needed among the followers. He was
uncomfortable with the “doctrine.” That’s an example of the power of the followers,
we, who will be responsible for our own choices individually. We never wait for
God to get ready. He waits for us.
The
minister said, “If you’re praying for
the Church, you’re probably not playing
church.” Have that bias.
Written
on the program back:
“The
leaders of Hidden Valley Chapel encourage you to worship God freely. It is
appropriate, and biblical, to stand, kneel, lay prostrate, clap, raise your
hands or even dance during worship. It is just as appropriate to do none of the
above. How you engage the Lord remains your choice. We simply request that you
remain sensitive to those around you.”
“We
strive to engage in worship that includes what we call “planned spontaneity.”
We expect the Lord to make His presence known. One way we sense His supernatural
manifestation is through the use of what the Bible calls spiritual gifts. We appreciate and expect the proper use of God’s
spiritual gifts in our worship gatherings.”
I’ve
been to several “Pentecostal” meetings over the years, and I suspect that when
there are visitors, they tend to hold back. This meeting included hand raising – but nothing more. The exception was in West
Virginia – at the “Church of God of Prophesy,” where I saw more interesting
activity – and with the “Snake Handlers,” where the activity was more in
concert – the “Amen Brother”’s, and the “Praise the Lord”’s, and with enough volume that the message was
impossible to hear at all.
Closing song – “You Have Given Life to Me.” Another very nice song.
Words projected – no hymnal used.
Between
the two meeting – while looking at the hotrod and being friends with everyone,
a man drove up, parked beside us, opened his driver’s door – and asked the
minister, ”Hey – is this the Mormon Church?” Everyone laughed. I’m not sure what
the meaning was – but I have a good guess. Why do such nice people dislike
Mormons? Is their fear justified? Would the Mormons try to convert their little
children?
29 of 52 Trip Around The
Sun - Hidden Valley Chapel